Iga Swiatek, defending champion, was eliminated in the round of 16 of the US Open on Sunday by Latvian Jelena Ostapenko (21st) 3-6, 6-3, 6-1, a defeat which will also cost her her place of world N.1.
Swiatek stood as the main favorite at Flushing Meadows where she was aiming for a fifth Grand Slam title after Roland-Garros 2020, 2022, 2023 and the US Open 2022.
But it is Ostapenko who will face the American Coco Gauff (6th) for a place in the semi-finals.
In addition, the 22-year-old Polish will lose to the Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka the place of world No.1 at the end of the tournament.
Ostapenko, 26, not only controlled Swiatek’s power, she even outpaced her.
“I knew it would be difficult, but I also knew that I had to play my game and be aggressive because she doesn’t like it,” commented Ostapenko who, in four games, has never lost against Swiatek.
“I had to play every point and fight to the last,” she added.
At 5-0 in the third set, the Latvian served for the match but on a winning return, Swiatek redid one of her three late breaks.
On the next service game from the Polish, Ostapenko nevertheless concluded the game in turn with a winning forehand.
Ostapenko had won Roland-Garros in 2017, reached the semi-finals at Wimbledon in 2018, the quarter-finals at the Australian Open this year, but had never passed the third round at Flushing Meadows.
